Bottle smashing device



March 1956 F. MADAFFER BOTTLE SMASHING DEVICE Filed Aug., 4, 1954 Gttomel smashed in small pieces.

United States Patent 2,738,134 BO'ITLE SMASHING DEVICE Frank Madafier, Erie, Pa. Application August 4, 1954, Serial No. 447,764

2 Claims. (Cl. 241-99) This invention relates generally to bottle smashing devices.

The disposal of empty whiskey and other bottles in a bar room becomes a major problem inasmuch as they take up much space and it is necessary to destroy them It is now the custom to carry the bottles to the base ment and break them up with a sledge or like heavy instrument. Bottle smashing devices have been devised but none of them have proved practical in that there is no means for holding the bottle without injuring the operator. Attempts have been made to use spring urged clutching means in a bottle smashing device. properly hold the bottle so that it may be properly that none of them have proved practical.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a bottle smashing device which overcomes the above and other defects in present bottle smashing devices and it is more particularly an object of my invention to provide a bottle smashing device which is simple in construction, economical in cost, economical in manufacture, and eflicient in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bottle smashing device wherein the neck of the bottle may be held in the left hand of the operator while the striking mechanism may be operated by the right hand of the operator.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bottle tion of a glass bottle.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel pivoted hammer and linkages connected thereto so that a hammer may be rotated inside of a bottle smashing container by a lever on the outside thereof movable within the projected area of the adjacent side of the container.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my novel bottle smashing device;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of my novel bottle smashing device;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of my novel bottle smashing device; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of my novel bottle smashing device with the major portion cut away.

Referring now to the drawings, I show in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive a rectangular shaped container 1 having spaced, parallel angle iron members 2 forming a support rack secured to marginal angle iron members 3 in the Prior devices provided for. lifting covers and other time consuming movements which a busy bartender does not have time to operate so They dont 1 lower portion thereof. The angle iron members 2 have an upwardly extending stop member 7 mounted thereon which is engaged by the bottom of the bottle 6, the stop member 7 and the spaced members 2 forming a rectangular shaped aperture 4 for receiving a portion 5 of the main body ofa whiskey bottle 6. Vertically extending support members 10 are disposed in the rear portion of the inside of the container 1 and have apertured brackets 11 secured thereto. A transverse shaft 12 is journalled in the apertures of the brackets 11 above the bottle 6 a substantial distance so that the swinging hammer following the path of the arrows forces the bottle 6 longitudinally along the support members 10.

away from the apertured wall whereby the bottle 6 is forced against the abutting member and the intermediate portion of the bottle 6 is forced downward between the support members 10 and an outwardly extending arm 13 is secured thereto. The arm 13 has a comparatively heavy hammer 14* secured to the outer end thereof. The shaft 12 also has secured thereto an upwardly extending lever arm 15 connected by a link member 16 to an upwardly extending lever arm 17 secured to a lower transverse shaft 18 journalled in apertures 19 in the sides of the container 1. The shaft 18 is held against longitudinal movement by cotter pins 20. An actuating lever 21 is secured to the outer end of the shaft 18 which extends outwardly from one side of the container 1 and it has a handle 22 on the end thereof. The hammer arm 13 has an apertured bracket 23 for engaging one end of a hooked spring 24, the other end of which is anchored to an apertured bracket 25 secured to the rear side of the container 1. The spring 24 urges the hammer 14 upwardly. The front side 26 of the container ;of such a size thatthe side angle iron members 2 en- 1 has a circular aperture 27 adjacent the aperture 4 so that a bottle may be disposed therein to be smashed by the hammer 14, the neck of the bottle projecting outwardly through the aperture 27 so that it can be held by the neck thereof when it is being smashed without injury to the operator. Furthermore, the aperture 4 is gage the main body portion of the bottle substantially its entire length thereby causing an inwardly directed impact on both sides of the bottle when the hammer 14 strikes the top portion thereof. This action produces a maximum smashing of the bottle into small bits. The length of the aperture 4 is slightly less than the length of the main body of a conventional whiskey bottle so that the bottle will rest in a tilted position as shown in Fig. 4.

In operation, a bottle is disposed on and spans the angle iron members 2 with the bottom thereof engaging the abutting member 7 and the neck thereof extending outwardly from the front of the container 1 as shown in Fig. l. The right hand of the operator grasps the handle 22 of the lever 21 and pulls down thereon while holding the neck of the bottle with the left hand. The actuation of the lever 21 rotates the shaft 18 wherein the shaft 12 is rotated through the arms 15 and 17 and the link 16 to rotate the hammer arm 13 and the hammer 14 whereby the hammer 14 engages the body of the bottle 6 with a heavy impact. Because of the length of the actuating arm 21 and the disposition of the arms 15 and 17 and the link 16 a minimum amount of effort is required to rotate the hammer arm 13 and the hammer 14. inasmuch as the bottle 6 is in a tilted position, it is forced longitudinally as well as downwardly between the angle iron members 2 when it is struck by the hammer 14, thereby breaking the main body of the bottle into small pieces due to the forces on the lower sides thereof by the angle iron members 2 tending to compress it upon the impact of the hammer 14. The

hammer 14 is of substantial size and weight so that the bottle is completely smashed. The tilted position of the bottle minimizes the possibility of glass passing through the aperture 27 in the front side 26 of the container 1. The abutting member 7 is also of a predetermined height so that the top side thereof engages the central portion of the bottom of the bottle 6 so as to smash the bottom of the bottle inasmuch as it is in an angular position and it is forced longitudinally in the aperture 4 when it is struck by the hammer 14. After the hammer 14 strikes the bottle 6, the spring 24 urges the hammer arm 13 and hammer 14- upwardly to an inoperative position and the neck of the bottle is then thrown through the aperture 27 in the front face 26 of the container 1 and through the aperture 4. The bottom of the container 1 is open so that when the container 1 is disposed over a barrel or the like. he broken pieces of glass may be retained by the barrel and removed when it is filled.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that I have provided a novel bottle smashing device which provides for a maximum breakage of the bottle, which permits the holding of the bottle without injury to the operator and the actuation of an actuating lever outside of the container, which has a novel apertured bottle rack for holding a bottle in a tilted position to provide maximum breakage thereof, and which has linkages to minimize the effort required to break a bottle.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of my invention without departing from the spirit m thereof or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A bottle smashing device comprising a container having an aperture in one side thereof for receiving a bottle, substantially horizontal, laterally spaced, parallel support members in said container extending from said aperture for supporting the body of a bottle in a substantially horizontal position, a transversely extending abutting member bridging said support members and spaced a predetermined distance from the apertured side of said container, the top of said abutting member adapted to engage an intermediate portion of the bottom of a bottle, said abutting member adapted to position said bottle so that the neck thereof extends outwardly through said aperture from said container, a shaft pivotally supported in the upper end of said container a substantial distance above said bottle, a hammer fixed on said shaft, said hammer having a head on the end thereof swingable with said shaft through an arc in a vertical plane midway between said parallel support members and adapted to strike said bottle supported therein midway thereof and also to force said bottle longitudinally along said support members away from said apertured wall whereby the bottom of said bottle is forced against said abutting member and the intermediate portion of said bottle is forced downward- 1y between said support members, a second shaft in the lower portion of said container, linkage members connecting said first and said second mentioned shafts for transmitting rotative force therebetween, and a lever fixed to the outer side of said lower shaft externally of said container for rotating said shafts and said hammer.

2. A bottle smashing device comprising a container having an aperture in one side thereof for receiving a bottle, substantially horizontal, laterally spaced parallel support members in said container extending from said aperture for supporting the body of a bottle in a substantially horizontal position, a transversely extending abutting member bridging said support members and spaced a predetermined distance from the apertured side of said container, the top of said abutting member adapted to engage an intermediate portion of the bottom of a bottle, said abutting member adapted to position said bottle, a shaft pivotally supported in the upper end of said container, a hammer fixed on said shaft, said hammer having a head on the end thereof swingable with said shaft through an arc in a vertical plane midway between said parallel support members and adapted to strike said bottle supported therein to force said bottle downwardly between said support members, a second shaft in the lower portion of said container, linkage members connecting said first and said second men tioned shafts for transmitting rotative force therebetween, and a lever fixed to the outer side of said lower shaft externally of said container for rotating said shafts and said hammer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,047,932 Aul July 21, 1936 2,185,352 Peters Jan. 2, 1940 2,246,394 Stelle June 17, 1941 2,466,151 Carmel Apr. 5, 1949 2,645,428 Kandle July 14, 1953 

